Boiler



Sept. 9, 1952 R. C. BRIERLY BOILER Filed June 24, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 9, 11952 Filed June 24, 1948 R. c. Bren-:RLYl

BOILER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. PLPH C BIP/90 AWO/2ND BYl Patented Sept. 9, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,609,798 Y BolLER Ralph C; Brierly, Narberth, Pa.

Application June 24, 1948, Serial No. 34,994

8 Claims. (Cl. 122-240) (Granted` under thelact of March 3, 1883, as.`

amended April 30,1928; 370 O. G.` 757) This invention relates to improvements in apparatus and methods of high-rate steam generation, and more particularly pertains to means for producing steam in large quantities albeit using units lighter and more compact than those employed presently.

Conventional boilers used in high-rate steam generation require large furnaces, such furnaces constituting frequently twenty per cent or more of the total boiler weight and occupying at least that percentage of the total space taken up by the entire unit. Present furnaces operate norm.- ally at heat releases not exceeding approximately a quarter of a million B. t. u. per cubic foot per hour at full power, although in some installations or at extreme conditions heat releases can risey to a maximum level of no more than one-half of la million B. t. u. per cubic foot per hour. (One type of large and heavy furnace construction employed presently to achieve such level is the ponderous and complicated `arrangement used in French boilers of .the general Sural type, wherein singleboilers or groups of'boilers are placed in a heavy shell or separate compartment known as the vase clos, so that heavy inner and outer` casings are required.)

The structures herein disclosed are adapted to develop heat releases of l0 to 20 million B. t. u. per cubic foot per hour. Consequently, the overall furnace volume can be reduced to a fraction of the volume of furnaces now employed. In addition, end gas iiring of the entire tube bank augments B. t. u. releases greatly above present figures, also dispensing with furnaces as such.

The primary object of this invention is to provide apparatus and methods of high-rate steam generation whereby substantial reduction in both space and weight requirements is effected by utilizing novel furnace structure.

Another object is to. provide `apparatus andY 'reducing the number and lengths of such tubes materially, can be employed.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a fragmentary elevation of a furnace, partly in section, showing a preferred embodiment of the invention;

`Figwz is a plan view of a bank of the elements shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of a'furnace, partly insection, showing a modified form` of the invention;

Fig. 41s a side elevation of abank of the ele-v ments shown in Fig. 3; l

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation of a furnace, partly in section,showing a further modified form of the invention; and

Fig. l6V is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a steam drum I I extends horizontally, being supported by suitable means not shown. A water drum I3 extends horizontally and parallel to said steam drum, said water drum likewise'being` supported by suitable means not shown. Water drum I3 is positioned a distance below said steam drum II, and a plurality of downcomer tubes I5, each having :its axis normal to the axes of the said steam and water drums, communicate between said two drums. Tubes I5 are arranged preferably in uniformly spaced relation along the length of said two drums.

A plurality of headers I'I and I8 are cylindrical drums positioned in axialparallelism with and somewhat below the level of drum I3, and a plurality ofV conduits I9 communicate between said headers and said drum I3. Another pluralityfof headers 2| and 22, are positioned vertically above headers I'I and I8 respectively. A plurality ofconduits 23 commuicate between headers 2I and 22 and drum II.

Bundles of. tubes 25 communicate between headersI'I and 2I. Said tubes can be straight, except for the end portions thereof that are manifolded into said headers I I and 2|, as shown in Fig. l, or can be formed into a spiral or coiled configuration to increase total length of each tube of said bundler Other bundles of tubes 2.1 communicate between headers I8 and 22. Said tubes 2l can be straight, except for the end portions thereof `that are manifolded into said headers I8 and 22, as shown in Fig. l, or can be f formed into a spiral or coiled configuration to Tubes 59 communicate between headers 41 and 53. Said tubes can be formed into a spiral or coiled conguration to provide maximum effective length, as shown in Fig. 3, or can be substantially straight. Tubes 6| communicate between headers V49 and 55. Similarly, said tubes 6| can be formed into a spiral orcoiled configuration to provide maximum effective length,l as shown in Fig. 3, or can be substantially straight.

Headers 41 and 53, and their connecting tubes 59, are enclosed in the casing 29 of a peripheral the length of said casing, around said bundle of tubes 25.

Duct 35 communicates between the'exit end of casing 29 and the entrance end of said casing,

said duct carrying an economiser '31 proximatey said exit end and a blower 39 proximate said entrance end. Alternatively, said duct can be constructed so as to communicate between the exit end of a first casing 26 and the entrance end of an adjacent casing 29, where,` a bank of such burners is employed, with a duct communicating similarly between the exit end of the last of said casings in said bank and the entrance end of said rst casing, to provide a closed series system.

Similarly, headers |8 and 22 and their connecting bundle-of tubes 21, are enclosed in'such a peripheral burner, as shown in Figs. 1 'and 2.

In operation, combustibles are forced into the hollow frusto-conical vrings forming the walls'of the combustion chamber and out of the apertures provided in the trailing edges thereof. 4Such combustibles burn in a moving stream surrounding each of the bundles of tubes, with oxidant passing axially through the chamber and oxidant being supplied between said rings. After the gases of combustion pass overthe substantially vertical or coiled tubes, such gases exit from -the burners, are cooled by passage 'through the economizer sections, and then are'eithe'r passed to the-,atmosphere through a duct (not shown) or used to supplement additional oxidant that isv forced into the burners by the blowers. Suitable ring meansl (not shown) is employed to ignite such` combustibles, apreferred type: of firing means being that disclosed in pending application'Serial No.' 551,420 filed August 16, 1944 by Bonvilian,l Brierly and Letvin.

Figs. Sand 4 show a modied form of thfe invention. Steam drum'-l'extends horizontally, be-

ofv downcomer tubes 45, each bundle having its axis substantially normalto the axes of vthe said steam and water drums, communicate between said two drums. Said bundles oftubes are arranged preferably in luniformly spaced relation along the length of said vtwo drums. f 1

A plurality of vheaders 41 land 49 are cylindrical drums positioned in axial parallelism with and somewhat above the level of drum 43, and a plurality of conduits 5| communicate'between said headers and said drum 43. Another plurality of headers 53 andY 55fare cylindrical drums positioned in axial parallelism with and somewhat below the level of drum 4|, said headers 53 and 55 preferably being positioned vertically above headers 41 and 49 respectively. A plurality of con-` burner 0f the type disclosed in U. S. patent application Serial No. 789,261, iiled December 2, 1947. Saidv casing carries a plurality of hollow frusto-conical rings 3|, arranged in axial align- Y ment and in spaced relation along the length of each bundle of tubes 59.

, plied to said rings through conduits 33 to pro- Combustibles are supvide flame propagation over a substantial portion of the length of said casing, around tubes 59.

Duct 35 communicates-between the exit lend o'f casing 29 and the entrance end of 'said-casing said duct carrying an e'conomizer 31 vproximate said exit end and a blower 39 proximate said en- A first downcomer GScOmmunicates betweenv one end of steam drum 4| and the corresponding end of water drum 43,'the axis of said downcomer being at a right angle to the axes of said drums."

A second downcomer communicates between the other end of steam drum 4| and the other end of water drum 43, the axis of said downcomer being at a right angle to the axes of vsaid drums.

Said downcomers provide supplementaryco'i'iV` A lthe duits for facilitating circulation between steam and water drums.

Figs. 5 and 6 show an-other embodiment of 4the invention. A steam drum 61 extends horizon-A tally, being supported by suitable means not' shown. A water `drum 69 extends horizontally and parallel to said steam drum, said water Adrum likewise being supported by suitable means not shown. Water drum 69 is positioned a distance below said steam drum 61, and a vplurality of tubes 1|, each having its axis normal to the axes' of the said steam and water drums, communicate between said two drums. Tubes 1| are arranged preferably in clusters, said clusters being disposed in uniformlyspaced relation along the length of said two drums, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

A plurality ofdowncomer tubes 13 communicat-e between steam drum 61 and water drum 69 proximate one end of said drums, said tubes 13 being disposed with their axes normal to the Another plurality of down-v axes of said drums. comer tubes 1'5 communicate between said steam and water drums proximate the other end of said drums, said tubes 15 being dispo-sed with their axes normal to the axes of said drums.

therethroughy from a supply conduit 19 to fuel injectors 8|, thereby providing -iringv between banks of tubes 1|. A plurality of nested shut- .ters or louvres 8'3 encase the tubes 1| between said drums, said louvres being s-o constructed that oxidant under pressure can be driven therebetween towards the downstream end of the chamber defined. An economiser caps the N downstream end of the chamber dened communicates with an exhaust stack 8l.

The structures herein-above' described are each characterizedby the provisionof bundles ofver ticaltube's-straight `or coiled-carried in Iindividualcombustion chambers and surrounded by firing devices.- The downco'mer systems included in each embodiment of the invention provide optimum circulation, thereby enabling yhigh-speed and high-rate steam generation to be sustained with @the `supercl'rarged ri'ng Aarrangements indicated without resort to' `forced circulation means.

Obviously many modications and variations of the present invention are possible inthe light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of .the appended vclaims the invention can be practiced other- Wise than as specifi-cally described.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for -governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for high-rate steam generation comprising a steam drum disposed horizontally7 a water drum disposed parallel to and below said steam drum, a multiplicity of vertical tubes, communicating between said steam and water drums, a plurality of vertical cylindrical casings, said tubes being centrally locate-d in said casings, :a plurality of downcomers communicating between said steam and water drums and a plurality of burner rings located within said casings and encircling said tubes, said burner rings being adapted to direct combustible and oxidant under pressure upstream of the -casings 2. Apparatus for high-rate steam generation comprising a steam drum, a water drum, a plurality of casings, a bundle of tubes centrally loan-d cated in each of said casings and proximately gate flames surrounding each of said bundles of l tubes, and a plurality of downcomers external said casings communicating between said steam and Water drums.

3. Apparatus for high-rate steam generation comprising a steam drum, a water drum, a plurality of cylindrical casings, a bundle of tubes centrally located in each of said casings Iand proximately encircled thereby, said tubes comn municating between said Isteam and water drums, annular burner means in each of said casings to propagate names surrounding substanti'ally the entire length of each of said bundles of tubes, Iand a plurality of Ido-wncomers external said casings communicating between said steam and water drum-s.

4. Apparatus for high-rate steam generation comprising a steam drum disposed horizontally, a water drum disposed parallel to and below said steam drum, a plurality of casings, a multiplicity of substantially vertical tubes centrally located in each lof said casings .and proximately encircled thereby, a i'lrst header in each of said casings coupling the tubes thereof and said steam drum, a second header in each of said -casings coupling the tubes thereof and said water drum, annular burner means in each of said casings to propagate llames surrounding the tubes thereof, and a plurality of downcomers eX- ternal said casings coupling saldisteaml` and? multiplicity of substantially vertical :tubes cen-f |trally located ineach offsaidl casi-rigs, a first headerin each of said casings coupling the tubes n thereof and said steam drum, a second, header in each of said casings coupling the tubesvthereof and said water drum, annularburner yI n'eans in each' of said casings to propagate flames surrounding the tubes thereof, .a plurality of downcomers external said casings coupling said steam and walter drums, and a plurality of ducts external said casings coupling the ends of each of said casings.

I6. Apparatus for high-rate steam generation comprising a steam drum disposed horizontally, a Water drum disposed parallel to and below said steam drum, a plurality of casings, a multiplicity of substantially vertical tubes carried in each of said casings, a first header in each o-f said casings coupling the tubes thereof and said steam drum, a second header in each of said casings coupling the tubes thereof and said water drum, ring means circumjacent the tubes in each 'of said casings to propagate fia-mes surrounding the tubes thereof, a plurality of downcomers external said casings coupling said steam and water drums, .a plurality of ducts external said casings, a plurality of economizers each communicating with one of said ducts and with the discharge end of one of said casings, and a plurality of blowers each communicating with one of said ducts and with the inlet end of one of said casings.

7. Apparatus for high-rate steam generation comprising a steam drum disposed horizontally, a water drum disposed parallel to land bellow said steam drum, a plurality of conduits disposed vertically and coupling said steam :and water drums, a plurality of casings, clusters -of straight tubes carried in each of said casings, a rst header carried in each of said casings coupling the cluster thereof and said steam drum, va second header carried in each of said casings coupling the cluster thereof and said water drum, a plurality of firing means cir-cumjacent the tubes in each of said casings to propagate names surrounding substantially the entire length of the cluster thereof, a plurality of duct-s external said casings, a plurality of economizers, each said economzer communicating with the downstream end of one of said iiring means with one of said ducts, and a plurality of blowers, each said blower communicating with one of said ducts and with the upstream end of one of said nring means.

8. Apparatus for high rate steam generation comprising a steam drum, a water drum, a plurali-ty of tubular casings spaced and `isolated from said drums, a multiplicity of tubes centrally located in each of said casings, a rst header in each of said casings coupling the tubes thereof and said steam drum, a second header in each of said casings coupling the tubes thereof and said water drum, firing means circumjacent lthe tubes to propagate names surrounding and substantially parallel and coeXten-sive with the length of said tubes carried in each of said casings, a plurality of downcomers external said casings coupling said steam and Water drums,

7 yand. a plurality of ducts external said casings Number coupling the ends of said casings. 1,026,013 'RALPH C. BRIERLY. v1,132,036

1,915,397v REFERENCES CITED 5 2,124,215 The following references are of record in the 2136112 Ille .of this patent: 213331,34

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 10 Number 710,340 Rust Sept. 30, 1902 24,737 828,498 Mosher Aug. 14, 1906 469,595 l 997,688 Milne July 11, 1911 Name Date Y Wheelock May 14, 1912 `Rosenthal Mar. 16, 191-5 Barker June 27, 1933 Stillman July 19, 1938 Barnes Oct. 31, 1944 Alexandrou Aug; 21, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date AGreat Britain June 7, 1906 Great Britain July 218, 1937 

